There are a number of different types of garment hangers that are used to hold a number of different articles of clothing or other types of articles, such as linens or other household fabrics. Typically, garment hangers are either formed of a plastic material or a metal material or a combination thereof. Not only do garment hangers come in a variety of different sizes but they also come in a number of different styles that have different types of constructions to accommodate different articles that are carried by the hangers.
For example, one type of garment hanger construction is designed to secure knitwear, blouses, slips, strapped garments, including dresses and lingerie. Another type of garment hanger construction is designed to also secure blouses, dresses and other light garments, while another type of garment hanger is designed to secure heavier knitwear, blouses, pants and light weight pant suits. Yet another type of garment hanger is designed to secure coats, jackets and outerwear. The foregoing types of garment hangers can be generally classified as being top garment hangers, while another class of garment hangers is pant hangers, which are those hangers that are designed to secure pants, skirts, and other outfits together. Often times, pant hangers incorporate some type of clamp mechanism to securely grasp and hold the articles of clothing. One will appreciate that there are even more types of garment hangers (e.g., bra/panty hanger) that are intended for particular applications.
As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional garment hanger 10 includes a hook member 20 that extends from a cross bar 30 to permit hanging of the garment hanger 10 and can include clamp members at ends of the cross bar or can include other means, generally indicated at 40, that assists in securing a garment to the hanger 10. Garment hangers 10 are typically formed of plastic materials that are molded in shape and are often transparent in nature.
The cross bar 30 is an elongated structure and includes a first end 32 and an opposing second end 34. The cross bar 30 can be divided into a number of sections, including a central portion 50 and two end portions 60, 70 on opposite sides of the central portion 50.
The cross bar 30 has a first edge 33 that represents the top edge of the cross bar 30 and an opposite second edge 35 that represents the bottom edge thereof. The interface between the central portion 50 and each of the end portions 60, 70 is defined by a curved, upwardly bent portion. The top edge 33 can be a convex edge or a planar edge and the bottom edge 35 generally has at least one portion that is concave.
The means 40 can be in the form of a fastener clip that includes a recessed portion 41 as well as two flexible fingers 42 under which the garment is fitted into a space 43 between the fingers 42 and a floor 45 of the recessed portion 41. The flexible fingers 42 are flexible to allow insertion and removal of a garment under the fingers 42 between the fingers 42 and floor 45. A gap or space 47 is formed between distal ends of the fingers 42 through which the garment is inserted and then inserted under the fingers 42 which retain the garment along the hanger 10.
As with other conventional garment hangers, the garment hanger 10 has an I-shaped cross bar 30 due to the cross-sectional shape thereof being generally I-shaped. In other words, the cross bar 30 is defined by a planar wall or surface 80 that is bordered along its two edges 33, 35 by first and second walls 90, 92 that extend perpendicularly from the planar wall 80. The walls 90, 92 extend perpendicular relative to both a front surface and an opposite rear surface of the planar wall 80. The I-shaped nature of the cross bar 30 extends from both the first end 32 and the second end 34.